A week to remember

I really should be getting ready.  I've got to get out of here and head up to NYC today because one of my oldest friends is getting married, but I wanted to take a minute and talk about this amazing week I've just had.  The biggest news and the high point of my week, was The Battle Of Blood And Ink is finally out in the world, having been released this past Tuesday.  Jared and I are both absolutely thrilled and have already been bombarded with people sending us picks of their copies.  The thing I notice is how excited they all look.  That is a wonderful feeling when something you had a hand in making gives people genuine joy.  For myself it was beyond amazing to hold the book in my hand and by able to see it completed.  what really knocked my socks off was seeing the book out and about in stores!  A friend of Jared's, Laura Burns, sent this picture:

Seeing Blood And Ink on a shelf in such great company is wonderful.  Now begins another part of this and one I'm frankly looking forward to, seeing what other people think of the work.  we've had some very nice sentiments thrown our way by Sarah Hunter of Booklist who said:

"Axelrod and Walker use rich visual details of luxury and the street life to underscore just how divided the city really is. With a spunky, headstrong female lead and an abundance of steampunk touches—airships, ray guns, and printing presses—this original graphic novel hits all the right buttons . . . or should we say levers?"

I'm glad to see people are digging it and I can't wait to have conversations with people about it. 

Free Comic Book Day

Hey All,

Jared and I will be at Brooklyn Comics this Saturday May 5th for Free Comic Book Day.  Come on in and say hi!  We'll have previews of The Battle Of Blood and Ink plus some free mini comics, and I will be doing sketches.  Here's some more info for ya

Looking forward to seeing you there.  And please, Bring coffee!

With The Battle of Blood And Ink less than a week away (!) Jared and I along with our esteemed publisher Tor Books, have prepared some lovely pre-book process and idea content.  The first is a very nice video by the uber talented J.R. Blackwell which can be seen here:
How The Battle Of Blood And Ink came about

The second is a very nice article written by Jared featuring some of my sketches and some pages from the book, which can all be seen here:
Information versus Ignorance The thoughts behind The Battle Of Blood And Ink

I hope you all enjoy these insights into our precious thought meats.  If you still haven't ordered the book yet it is available through amazon. com here:

The Battle Of Blood And Ink on Amazon

Enjoy!

The Battle Of Blood And Ink Preview Is Up!

Want to see a preview of The Battle Of Blood And Ink, the graphic novel that I've been talking about so much lately?  Well, Tor.com has a preview up right now!  Check it out here:

The Battle Of Blood And Ink Preview
I figure that some of you want to try before you buy, and this is a nice 18 page chunk of our story about this dread-locked seeker of truth and her life on a flying city.  The book is hitting on May 22nd, and is still available for pre-order through Amazon.com You can pick it up here:

http://www.amazon.com/Battle-Blood-Ink-Fable-Flying/dp/0765331306 

Who I Am And What I Do

I am Steve Walker.  I draw graphic novels, most notable are the first 2 volumes of The Sons Of Liberty for Random House Books.  I've also co-created along with Jared Axelrod, The Battle Of Blood And Ink being released this may from Tor Books and available for pr-order now at the link. 

Besides drawing comics of things that I love and would want to read, I was a founding member of Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School and worked with the wonderful Molly Crabapple, and helped to run the best damned burlesque life-drawing session in the world. 

I also teach comics and sequential art at The Art Student's League of New York, and have done so for almost 5 years now.

My name's Steve Walker, and it is a pleasure to meet you.

Things have been insanely busy lately, which is wonderful.  The push has begun for the Battle Of Blood and Ink, my latest graphic novel which hits bookshelves May 8th.  Jared and I were talking the other day and it both hit us that it's been a 5 year journey to bring this book to you, and now all that sweat and hard work is finally going to pay off.  Want to pre-order the book?  It's available through Amazon.com here:

http://www.amazon.com/Battle-Blood-Ink-Fable-Flying/dp/0765331306

We've got a ton of stuff upcoming to coincide with the release of the book, appearances and the like. We'll be at Brooklyn Comics on May 5th for Free Comic Book Day, giving out some free comics and I'll be doing sketches and generally being silly.  We'll be doing a meet and greet and talk at the U Penn Bookstore  in Philadelphia on May 8th, Release Day! Come out and say hi.  Also, we will be at Balticon May 25th-28th for a big launch party as well as to announce a few other goodies, give away prizes, and of course sign your copies of The Battle of Blood And Ink.

So, like I said it's been busy:)  There's a few more things happening, and as the details are ironed out I will be announcing them here as well as a few other places.  so with that I take my leave, but not before I ask you to once again pre-order your copy of The Battle Of Blood And Ink, buy early, buy often, and to give you a little taste as to what has been going on with me artistically, here's the cover to the third Fables Of The Flying City mini comics!


 

I've made it a mission in my career to work with people who share my ideas about storytelling and aesthetics in order to make really kick ass books.  When I met Jared I realized it was inevitable that we would be working together on something.  A simple conversation gave birth to the idea that nearly 6 years later would become The Battle Of Blood And Ink.  The ride has been absolutely incredible right from the start, and as I look back on the journey it has been a complete dream.  So much good has come out of being determined to create something that we would love.  We're now a month away from the books release.  We've got a ton of stuff planned to celebrate and usher our endeavor into the world.  Events in Baltimore, Wilmington, Brooklyn, and our home base of Pennsylvania.  More on these to come.  If you'd like to pre-order a copy of the book you can do so through Amazon here:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Battle-Blood-Ink-Flying/dp/0765331306

or through Barnes and Noble here:


http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/battle-of-blood-and-ink-jared-axelrod/1103277235

In the end, I love telling stories.  I cannot wait to bring you another kick-ass book.

Free Comics!

There wasn't a Sketch Monday this week, and I know you are all gnashing your teeth and wailing in dismay, but I am currently trying to get a bunch of stuff wrapped up by the end of the month.  That sounds silly I know, but December, of all the months, seems to fly by the fastest.  So Sketch Monday will be back next week, and actually on Monday rather then Tuesday.  Until then, I have a slew of free comic pages for you all:



http://www.fablesoftheflyingcity.com/news/free-comics/

This is the mini-comic that Jared and I produced for New York Comic Con in October.  This is the first of six planned mini comics that will lead into the release of our graphic novel The Battle Of Blood And Ink in May from Tor Books.  I hope you all enjoy!

New York Comic Con 2011 in photos

To continue on the madness that was NYCC 2011, I present a bunch of pictures that I took at the con and at least one that I did not, but rocks. It is of the lovely Liza James, who was gracious enough to dress up as Ashe and hawk our wares for the weekend.  Onto the pictures!

                           
Our table setup with our new and improved Fables Of The Flying City Banner.

                        
Legendary Pictures had a display, so naturally I had to shoot the Dark Knight.

                              
Writer and founding member of Rat Ronin studios, Kieth Miller.
                                                                               
High Moon, Box 13, and now artist on the AMC Walking Dead Game as well as caffeine freak Steve Ellis.

                                                  
pretty self explanatory.

                   
Jared holding up the 1st second previews guide featuring the Blood and Ink sampler!

                               
The Battle of Blood and Ink crew.  Good looking clouddogs all.

                                 
The creation inevitably turns on its creator.  Ashe gives me a noogie.

                                         
and finally Liza James as Ashe in her Amperstamian finest.

We all had a blast this year at comiccon and quite honestly I'm looking forward to next year when we will have the physical book in hand for everyone plus a few other fantastic goodies as well.  now if only I could figure out how to get the entire cast there...:)

ever wanted to know how I got into comics or what I sound like?  well listen here as Jared and I launch our first Jared and Steve Read Comics podcast! 

http://www.fablesoftheflyingcity.com/interlude/jared-steve-like-comics-0/

Here for the first time ever my secret origin!

Fables of the Flying City is Live!

Fables of the Flying City, a podcast created by myself and Jared Axelrod went live at Balticon and I'm super excited about it!  Fables of The Flying City is the prequel story to my upcoming graphic novel from Tor Books, The Battle for Blood And Ink, by myself and Jared Axelrod and will give unique insight into characters and situations that appear in the book.  The podcast follows Ashe, a young street urchin living on the floating city of Amperstam and her adventures as she joins the Amperstam Aerial Guard.  Each Podcast is read by Jared Axelrod of The Voice of Free Planet X, and the website features tons of other goodies.  Here is the link:

www.fablesoftheflyingcity.com 

keep checking back here and at fables of the flying city for updates on the book, new artwork, and whatever other trouble I may find myself in.